- NAACP votes Ford as one of its top performers on 2008 Economic Reciprocity Initiative report card
- Ford serves as title sponsor of NAACP Convention’s Youth Freedom Fund Dinner for the ninth consecutive year
- Ford sponsors attendees’ tickets to Freedom’s Sisters traveling exhibition at Cincinnati Museum Center
DEARBORN, Mich., July 15 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced today that Ford Motor Company once again received one of the highest grades awarded on the Economic Reciprocity Initiative (ERI) automotive industry report card. Results of the study were released at the NAACP's 99th Annual Convention, themed Power, Justice, Freedom & The Vote, at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, OH.
The NAACP ERI report card measures the exchange of economic costs and benefits between African-American consumers and various industries. The scoring is based on activities in employment, advertising/marketing, procurement/vendor relationships, dealerships, and charitable/philanthropic activity.
“This is an exciting time for Ford to receive this recognition from the NAACP as we continue to show a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, even during these challenging times for the automotive industry,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.
While the industry scored a “B” for its philanthropic efforts, Ford continued to display a strong performance in this category earning an “A-” in this area and a “B+” in the Supplier Diversity category, which represents one-third of the overall grade.
Ford also is participating as a platinum sponsor of this year’s convention and serves as title sponsor of the Youth Freedom Dinner on Wednesday, July 16 for the ninth consecutive year. Julien “Lil X” Lutz, critically acclaimed Hollywood director to the stars —Usher, Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado, and P. Diddy, to name a few — serves as this year’s keynote speaker.
“Ford Motor Company is proud to continue its support of the NAACP and its efforts to advocate for civil rights, justice, and equal opportunity,” Vella said.
Ford highlights at the convention include the display of the Ford Flex and its SYNC technology demo. SYNC is a voice-activated communications system that lets you operate most popular MP3 players and most Bluetooth® – enabled phones with voice commands.
In addition, Ford provided complimentary passes for attendees to visit the Freedom’s Sisters exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center July 13-15. Underwritten by Ford, Freedom’s Sisters, a traveling exhibition in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institute and the Cincinnati Museum Center, features the stories of 20 African American women who helped shape the Civil Rights Movement. The exhibition continues at the Cincinnati Museum Center until September 14, 2008. It will then go to the Sacramento Public Library in Sacramento, CA where it will be on display through the end of this year. The exhibit then opens in January 2009 in the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN.
ABOUT FORD
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 228,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford operates. Established in 1949 and made possible by Ford Motor Company profits, Ford Motor Company Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto-related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, Ford employees and retirees participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.community.ford.com.